Faculty: Faculty of Arts, School of Modern Languages, with contributions from the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies. This four-year Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA Hons) degree combines a comprehensive study of politics and international relations with the acquisition of fluency in Italian language, art, and culture. Italian can be studied from beginners' level or post-A level (or equivalent). You will explore the politics of individual countries and governments, and the complex relationships between countries, communities, and individuals, alongside a structured language course in Italian and modules on Italy's rich history, literature, cinema, thought, and visual culture. The third year is compulsory and spent abroad in Italy, offering an immersive experience to significantly enhance your language skills and cultural understanding. This year abroad is crucial for developing near-native speaker competence. The course offers exciting intellectual challenges, a range of options to pursue specific interests, and is taught through lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, and one-to-one project supervision. Assessments are varied and include presentations, essays, commentaries, exams, collaborative projects, debates, podcasts, video essays, and dissertations, ensuring you develop a broad range of skills valued by employers.

Career options for graduates are highly diverse, leveraging both strong analytical skills in politics and valuable linguistic and cultural expertise in Italian. Graduates are well-prepared for roles in international organizations, diplomacy, government, journalism, media, translation, teaching, tourism, business (especially in international trade with Italy or Italian-speaking regions), and cultural relations. The University of Bristol, a member of the prestigious Russell Group, has a great reputation with employers in the UK, making its graduates highly sought after. The year abroad further enhances employability by demonstrating adaptability, cultural awareness, and advanced language proficiency, which are highly valued in the increasingly globalized workplace. Bristol itself, as southwest England's largest city and a tech and startup hub, offers additional professional networking opportunities.

The University of Bristol is a member of the UK's prestigious Russell Group, signifying its commitment to world-class research and an outstanding teaching and learning experience. It has a great reputation with employers in the UK, with Bristol graduates being highly sought after. Bristol is southwest England's largest city and is known as a dynamic tech and startup hub, providing an exciting and politically engaged environment for students. The academic staff are leading experts in their fields, ensuring a research-led curriculum. The integrated year abroad in Italy provides an invaluable opportunity for cultural immersion and advanced language acquisition, making graduates exceptionally well-rounded.